Jim O'Keeffe
Question:41 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position in relation to the export of live cattle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25679/02]
Other Questions. - Live Exports.
Recognising the importance of live exports to Irish agriculture and to the economy generally, the function of my Department is to ensure that the animal health and welfare and other conditions necessary to facilitate the live export trade are fully in place. I am on the public record in the Council of Agriculture Ministers and other fora as indicating my total support for the trade.
In so far as the export of live animals is concerned, Ireland's rules in the transport of cattle by sea are among the most advanced in the world and require vessels intended to be used for this purpose to undergo an approval process involving a detailed examination by an independent marine surveyor and a veterinary surgeon. My Department has approved a significant number of vessels, with a total of 15 dedicated vessels and 16 roll-on roll-off vessels currently being available for live export.
In relation to actual trade there has been a resumption in exports of younger animals to markets in the EU, particularly Spain and Italy. The trade in finished animals to Lebanon is also continuing since that market re-opened to us following the lifting of foot and mouth disease restrictions.
Total live exports in this year will reach some 120,000 head.
The Minister has given a coded reply. He did not mention the Egyptian trade, which was announced so many times. How many cattle were shipped to Egypt? When the lifting of the ban on Irish cattle being sold to Egypt was announced it was promised, on several occasions, that a large number would be sold to that country.
We have been shilly-shallying about live exports for a number of years. Every year in September and October there is a glut of cattle on the Irish market and prices drop. If there was a properly organised export trade to take those, cattle prices would not fall to such an extent in the autumn of each year, farm incomes would be higher and fewer people would be leaving the land.
How many live cattle were exported to Egypt this year, compared with the numbers promised when the lifting of the ban was announced?
I did not promise the resumption of the live trade to Egypt. On a number of occasions, before the general election and since, I stated that the ban on the importation of Irish beef to Egypt would be lifted. The ban was lifted and the Egyptian trade for beef, as distinct from live cattle, is open.
I cannot take the industry by the hand and sign contracts and ship cattle on its behalf. Once the ban is lifted and the trade is opened, through political and diplomatic efforts, it is for the industry to take matters from there.
A good live trade is re-emerging and is being built up since the foot and mouth disease crisis when other countries did not want live cattle from Ireland because we had had an incident of foot and mouth disease. Since then, we have gone back up to exporting 120,000 head of younger cattle to the European continent, particularly to Spain and Italy, and some more adult cattle to the Lebanon. We are pushing that trade in every possible way.
The live trade is vital for competition within the industry.
There is no live trade to Egypt or Libya, which were two major markets. Could the Minister indicate where the live trade is in third country markets? Six years ago the Minister said that if he was in Government there would be no problem at all in opening the Egyptian and Libyan markets for live cattle. I appreciate the Minister's comments that this is a vital cog in the industry. Unfortunately, this vital element which removed the poorer quality Holstein type steers that went to Libya and Egypt is now missing. Can the Minister give an indication if Libya or other third country markets will be opened in the foreseeable future?
When I came to office in 1997 we exported 7,430 animals to third countries. We did not even have a ship at that time and Deputies will remember that we had to use the Purbeck to help the industry. Many ferries were approved at a later date. In 2000, before the foot and mouth disease outbreak, we had reached 406,000 head—
Mostly to Europe of high quality—
It was a release valve that created competition. Foot and mouth disease created a problem for us and we are trying to get back into business again. I met representatives of the industry during the past 48 hours and I said we needed to get into additional markets to sell our 500,000 tonnes of beef. There is no point in opening markets as a political or diplomatic gesture if trade does not take place. On the face of it, we have performed magnificently in the UK market as we have exported 250,000 tonnes to that country, representing half of our total beef exports. It must be remembered, however, that 75% of our UK exports are going to the lower end of the market. Our aim is to export to the lucrative end of the market to get a better return for Irish farmers. There should be a margin for farmers in the beef export industry, but if there is not, Commissioner Fischler's decoupling proposals will become more and more attractive to individual farmers.
The price is disastrous.